Nova Terra Regency
Forged upon the principles of the Emperor of Mankind himself, the Nova Terra Regency, or Imperitor Nova in High Gothic, is a sizable breakaway state that rules all of the former Segmentum Pacificus and some smaller territories beyond. Liberated from the corrupting influence of the Imperial Cult and waning Imperium of Man during the Nova Terra Interregnum, the Nova Terra Regency has stood for over eight-thousand years, a beacon of secular thought and reason in a Galaxy otherwise bathed in ignorance and superstition. Much more open and less brutally authoritarian than the Imperium of Man, the Nova Terra Regency is still a considerable military power in the Galaxy, second only to the rising Tau Empire in the east and the massive Imperium of Man itself. History The origins of the mighty empire known as the Nova Terra Regency occurred over eight millennia earlier. Beginning in 075.M33, the Ur-Council of Nova Terra declared independence from the rule of the High Lords of Terra, and declared the whole Segementum Pacificus independent of Imperial rule. They had grown disenfranchised with the burgeoning Imperial state religion, in the form of the religious organisation known as the Ecclesiarchy, that zealously promoted the worship of the Emperor of Mankind as the one, true God of Humanity. As the power of the Ecclesiarchy waxed strong, the Ur-Council of Nova Terra foresaw the dangers of having a religious organisation possess so much power and influence over the citizens of the Imperium. They felt that the Imperium had lost its way and no longer followed the tenants of the Emperor's enlightened philosophy of the Imperial Truth. The Imperium of Man no longer upheld the core values of reason, science and secular progress. Instead, they had fallen back on the old ideas of religion, superstition and faith. To compound the secession of the Segmentum Pacifucs, two Space Marine Legions, the feral Space Wolves and the stoic Iron Hands, joined the rebellious Ur-Council of Nova Terra. The two Primarchs were later followed by a number of Legion Masters as well, who also joined the Secessionist's cause. (Work in progress) Notable Regions *'Veiled Regions' - This stellar region lies in, and to the galactic south of, the Segmentum Pacificus. This region of space is a vast, unmapped frontier zone that consists of dense nebulae and newborn stars. The region suffers from waves of intense stellar radiation being emitted by the new stars that coexists alongside discarded stellar matter. The entire region remains cloaked in stellar dust comprised of the light elements which form the building blocks of the new stars. This expanse of uncharted space serves as a home for several dangerous bands of Ork corsairs, various xenos mercenaries and a primitive, sluggish alien race of unknown name that resides on a dying planet. Unknown to the majority of the galaxy, the dreaded Necrons also inhabit this region of space. It was in the Veiled Regions that the renegade factions of the Soul Drinkers Legion temporarily sought refuge from Imperial forces. Notable Sectors *'Sabbat Worlds' - The Sabbat Worlds is the name given to a group of star systems that form the Sabbat Worlds Sector along the rimward edge of the Nova Terra Regency's Segmentum Pacificus. Made up of over 100 known star systems, the region is subdivided into several discrete territories, most notably the Newfound Trailing, the Khan Group, the Cabal Systems, the Carcaradon Cluster, and the Erinyes Group. Notable Celestial Bodies *'Halo Zone' - The Halo Zone contains those ancient stars that encircle the outer edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, representing the last stellar clusters to be encountered before one enters the eternal, frigid night of the intergalactic void. These Halo Stars are believed to be the oldest stars in the galaxy and their circumference extends for approximately 200,000 light years around the galaxy, usually grouped in a cluster formation. The Halo Stars may also be intermixed into the shroud of dark matter that is known to extend beyond the visible disk of the galaxy for several hundred thousand light years. The Halo Stars are older than most can understand, and are characterised by mystery and danger. The Halo Stars have remained largely unexplored by the Nova Terra Regency and it is unknown what kind of habitable worlds, if any, may circle them. The Halo Stars have a very bad reputation amongst Nova Terran starfarers and it is believed by many, including quite a few Rogue Traders and Mechanicum Explorators, that those foolish enough to venture out into the Halo Stars never return. Notable Worlds Notable Forge Worlds When the Segmentum Pacificus broke away and formed their own pocket empire, they also took with them many important Forge Worlds that were directly controlled by the Mechanicum. These vitally important worlds that are completely dedicated to the manufacture of the various machines and devices of the Nova Terra Regency, the pursuit of and preservation of (ancient) scientific and technical knowledge and the worship of the Machine God. Listed below are the known Forge Worlds of the Nova Terra Regency: Military Forces The guardians of the Nova Terra Regency are few, but mighty. Amongst the forces the Ur-Council can order mobilized are the so called Ur-Legions, several Space Marine Legions that defected to the Secessionists during the Nova Terra Interregnum, seeking to uphold the ideals of the Emperor and escape the mockery that had been made of their father on Terra by the sycophants and demagogues that had so infested his Imperium in his absence. Of these Legions are the venerable Space Wolves and Iron Hands, both led by their Primarchs respectively. The Ur-Legions also brook the infamous Night Lords, whose Primarch, the infamous Night Haunter himself, joined their ranks in a desperate bid for redemption in the wake of the Horus Heresy. The Nova Terra Regency can also call upon the Regent Guard, levied Regiments of Imperitor Nova Auxilia Regiments that are comprised of highly trained professional soldiers hailing from the many and varied worlds of the polity. Unlike the Imperial Army, which has become more and more utilitarian over the eons in order to enforce unity amongst its teeming ranks, the Regent Guard are often encouraged to continue the martial practices of their native homeworlds. In this manner, the Ur-Council relies on concentrations of several highly specialized Regiments to create a cohesive army with which to beat back the ceaseless hordes of Imperial aggressors. Though certainly no match for the Imperium of Man's nigh endless tides of fanatic slave soldiers and barbaric Legionaries in any extended engagement, the forces of the Regency can rely on their forces to strike swiftly and with unerring precision. Their smaller, better trained, and more uniquely equipped forces can often defeat the odds when encountering the hulking Imperial juggernaut. The Ur-Legions The Nova Terra Legiones Astartes, more commonly known as the 'Ur-Legions', are those Space Marine Legions comprised of enhanced, transhuman warriors, who serve as the stalwart protectors of the sovereign domain of the Nova Terra Regency. Some of these Legions can trace their heritage as part of the original First Founding Space Marine Legions of the Imperium of Man. When Ur-Council of Nova Terra declared their independence from the Imperium, two of these First Founding Legions - the Space Wolves and Iron Hands - flocked to the Secessionist's banner. Later on, they were joined by another original First Founding Legion, in the form of the bloody-handed Night Lords. The Secessionist forces would later be bolstered by additional Second Founding Legions who flocked towards Nova Terra's cause. Following nearly nine centuries of conflict, an uneasy truce was finally brokered, and Nova Terra officially became it's own empire. In the centuries that followed, as enough sufficient sources of genetic material were compiled by the Mechanicum Forge Worlds located within the Nova Terra Regency, the genetors and fleshcrafters were finally able to produce enough additional zygotes in order to create additional Space Marine Legions. Since that time, the Ur-Legions have continued to stand their vigilant watch over their empire's borders, and have halted numerous incursions by the Forces of Chaos, xenos raiders and even Imperial incursions over the last eight-thousand years. Listed below are the known Space Marine Legions of the Nova Terra Regency: